“Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.” ~ Proverbs 15:33

Last week I was asked to stop posting about someone. In full disclosure, I never tagged the person or mentioned them by name. I never specifically referenced them and, outside of a handful of people, nobody would know who I was talking about.

But he did.

He knew the posts documenting my healing journey were specifically referring to ways he treated me and, rather than be humble and completely address the wrongs, he told me to stop.

He wanted me to dismiss the wrongs, just as he had.

I don’t share all this to make him look bad, but to make a point.

Humility comes before honor.

I will never, ever, pretend to be perfect.
I will never, ever, run away when somebody says I hurt them.

I will address my wrongs, head-on, and make my wrongs right.

But some people won’t.
Some people would rather all the dust be swept under the rug.
Some people EXPECT others to do what they’re told and, when they’re told to be quiet to be quiet.

I don’t do what I’m told, especially when my sharing is therapeutic to me and has been helpful for others going through similar journeys.

If you didn’t want me to post about how you were a jerk, shaming me because you yourself have unaddressed shame, then you should have been nice to me.

Humility comes before honor.
Respect goes a loooooooong way.
Apologies that mean something go a long way, too.
But when you’re a jerk TO ME when I express concern that she’s hacked your account, that’s not okay.
Being a jerk to me is NEVER okay.
I realize it now.
I let you get away with it for far too long and I will NEVER allow anyone to get away with it again.

Humility comes before honor.
With God AND with me. ...

Don’t let anyone silence you… EVER…

If they didn’t want you to share the part of your story that involves them, they should collaborated with you to make it a better story, an uplifting one to inspire future generations.

And what does that collaboration look like in my book?

It’s simple but not easy…

➡ Mutual support and respect
➡ Owning our wrongs and taking corrective action
➡ No deflection or dismissal
➡ Seeing out and accepting the help needed to become the best version of ourselves, physically AND mentally

As for me and my house, we serve the Lord.
We do NOT serve anybody who tries to silence or repress us.

And I WILL share my story, ALL of it, because this is how I will help others. ...

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the definition of dismissive is, “…serving to dismiss or reject someone or something : having or showing a disdainful attitude toward someone or something regarded as unworthy of serious attention.”

My heart hurts this morning, having been dismissed last night. It became clear to me that an acquaintance’s social accounts were compromised and messages were being read… NOT by them…

I brought it to their attention out of a place of care, for both of us. I have no doubt ours was not the only conversation live in their account and I would never want something shared to other avenues due to a compromised account.

But I was treated like the bad guy.
I was yelled at.
I was told to leave them alone and never talk to them again.
I was blocked.

I cried myself to sleep last night, asking God what I did wrong. I was trying to do something good, to protect someone I care about, and it was turned around on ME.

I have done tremendous work on myself this year to not only heal but to heal into a healthier version of myself.

And I have been working on communicating, speaking up immediately when I’m concerned rather than waiting.

But while others say they’ve been working on themselves, they haven’t.

They’ve been pacifying themselves and packing their time to make themselves FEEL productive.

They’re not healing.
They’re not healthier, physically, emotionally OR mentally.

They are still broken, dismissing and deflecting others who care deeply about them and who bring up concerns because of that care.

I will continue praying for this person but I did NOT deserve the harsh words and treatment I received…

And as for the one reading the messages, I pray for you, too. It’s time to heal and time to move on. What you are doing is not helping you but HURTING you. It’s keeping you trapped in the past when you could be healing by looking forward. Your lies don’t fool me and I pray you will find a beautiful reality that is far better than the fantastical fictional version you want the world to believe is true. ...

“The perfect is the enemy of the good.” ~ Voltaire

There are people in my life who strive for perfect constantly. While I, too, strive for perfection, I will not do it to the detriment of my joy or happiness. I will not do it to the point of jeopardizing my physical or mental health. I will not do it to the extent of destroying relationships.

But some in my life will do the above, including people I love. Nothing is good enough unless it is perfect and they can’t find humor in their own mistakes.

Personally, I love showing my imperfections in blooper reels. I want to make memories, not make myself miserable trying to be perfect.

How about you? What is your relationship with perfectionism? Is it healthy? ...